Versus
by musicnotes093
Summary: AU. Tony volunteers to babysit four year-old Timmy for the Gibbs' when the family leaves for Abby's math tournament. With the awkwardly inquisitive little boy, a pending thunderstorm, and unexpected visitors, will Tony survive the night?
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **_"Versus"_

**Rating: **FR13

**Genre: **Alternate Universe, Friendship, Family, Humor

**Written For: **Adventures in Babysitting Challenge

**Pairing(s): **HetTony/Abby

**Summary: **AU. Tony volunteers to babysit four year-old Timmy for the Gibbs' when the family leaves for Abby's math tournament. With the awkwardly inquisitive little boy, a pending thunderstorm, and unexpected visitors, will Tony survive the night?

**Notes: **Part of Gibblets' Verse series. Anything that is publicly recognizable does not belong to me. Enjoy!

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**Chapter One**

Tony bites his lip absentmindedly while he observes the movement going on behind him. Waiting has never been his best suit, much more so in the kitchen of his girlfriend's house. He has known Abby's family for more than a year now, and he knows should at least be comfortable enough to sit there by himself for at least ten minutes.

Actually, after a while, he's warmed up to Mrs. Gibbs. She's always so kind to him, especially after he proved to her that he respects her daughter and wishes her no harm. Because of the, she calls him 'sweetheart' now and to be honest, he likes it. She reminds him of his mother.

Although, when it comes to fathers, he still prefers his over Abby's dad. Mr. Gibbs still scares him. What's not to be afraid about him? The first time Abby introduced him to her family, her dad made sure he remembered that he's a marine sniper, and that he's constantly watching. Abby told him her father was just joking, adding with the explanation a glare to her father. Mr. Gibbs only smiled at her, but the look he shot him as he did so told him he was serious.

He picks up his backpack from the floor then starts shuffling through the half dozen DVDs he brought with him. A groan threatens to escape from his throat. What was he thinking taking that job? He doesn't even know much about taking care of kids! Ones that are a few years younger than himself, he can manage. As long as there's a computer or a game console, they will be busy.

But a toddler like Abby's little brother? He expects—_hope_s—that his young age will easily take toll on him when late night strikes, but he worries about the possibility that he might not get sleepy at all. Not only that, he might be hyper, courtesy of the older Gibbs who gives in easily to his son's pleas, as he has seen so many times before.

He sighs. It's not like he had any choice. When Abby talked to him about how important the math competition is to her and her team (which, he assumes, consists of Kate and Paula), and how she had to miss it because they could not find a babysitter, he knew he had to jump in and save her. "Maybe one of your parents can stay behind, and the other one can go," he remembers suggesting to her a week ago.

"Well, Dad _has _to come. The last competition he attended with me was when I was nine," Abby explained to him. He knew that the slight disappointment she displayed on the outside then was ten times more magnified than what she truly felt inside. "The schedule of his deployment always clashes with my school schedule," she added with a half-hearted smile. "Mom, on the other hand, _wants _to come, because she missed my Regionals Science Fair the last month because she was called to court that morning for one of their cases. She said she wanted to make it up to me with this. It would be great if both of them could come, but it's going to be late at night, and I don't want Timmy to stay up so late. My baby brother will just get sick, and he'll cry, and I'll be responsible," she finished with the smallest of frowns as she thought of the boy.

He never likes seeing her upset and sad. So, the inner knight-in-shining-armor rising up within him, he offered, "Well, you think your parents will let me babysit Timmy boy?" He wanted to take it back almost immediately when he realized what he was putting himself into, but when Abby smiled, suddenly excited by the idea, he could not get himself to do so anymore.

Thus, tonight. He's sitting at the Gibbs' kitchen, watching as the family gets ready before they leave.

"Oh. Tony? Sweetheart?" Mrs. Gibbs calls him as she strides inside the kitchen, fixing her earrings. She plucks a paper fastened by a magnet from the fridge then hands it to Tony after he looks up. She grinned. "That's the list of numbers you can call in case of emergency. Here are my number and Jethro's…" she holds up a finger before she corrects her mistake, "_Mr. Gibbs'_ number. I'd add Abby's number, but you already know that." She chuckles. Tony does the same but only slightly. "There's also, uh, the Police Station's number, Fire Station, Children's Hospital, Poison Control—"

"Shouldn't I just call 911?" Tony asks, overwhelmed.

"You can," Mrs. Gibbs laughed. "But you never know. Plus, those are the numbers of people I know in those places. I'll feel more comfortable if they'll be the ones who'll be here if something happened."

"Okay," Tony mumbles, his eyes back on the paper.

"And I also took the liberty of putting in the electrician's number," Mrs. Gibbs adds, a little abashed. Tony fights the urge to wrinkle his brows. "I know it's too much, but I saw on the news that there's supposed to be a thunderstorm tonight, and if the lights go off, at least you'll have someone you can call for questions. Or, you know, if you just didn't want to risk messing with the electricity."

Tony stares at the numbers, hoping that he will never have to dial them that night. "Alright, Mrs. Gibbs," he smiles up to her.

"Tony, are you sure you can do this?" Abby asks as she walks into the kitchen, a light knapsack slung over her shoulders. She proceeds beside him, obviously anxious about the bother all of it is causing him. "We can always ask my grampa to look after Timmy."

"Don't worry about it, Abby," Tony waves her sentiments away, grinning. "I can manage. Besides, I don't think it's a good idea to have your grampa drive with this weather. Your mom said it's going to rain."

Abby nods in contentment, saying nothing further. "Okay," she mumbles. She kisses Tony on the cheeks, causing him to smile. Mrs. Gibbs disregards the scene by looking away with a smile on her face.

"And don't you know?" Tony whispers towards Abby. "I'm great with kids."

"Really," Abby challenges his statement, placing a hand on her hip.

"Yeah," Tony says confidently. "I'm like Chris Parker in 'Adventures in Babysitting.'" Abby slightly frowns as she tries to remember. "You know. 1987 film. Elisabeth Shue."

"Ah," Abby nods. "That one. But doesn't she end up running through different problems?"

Tony thinks about it. "Well," he says pensively, "maybe not."

Abby laughs in response.

Tony seeks his surroundings, his brows slightly knitted. "Where's Jet?" he asks Abby. "Usually, he'd be so happy to run towards me and take a stab at gnawing on my ankles."

"He's at Uncle Jason's house," Abby responds. "Spencer has no one to play with since his sister, Emily, is on a college visit at Massachusetts, so they borrowed him for a while."

"Oh," Tony nods slowly.

"Come on, Abby," Gibbs says sternly as he strides inside the room with his car keys. "We'll be late. The place is almost an hour drive."

"Good evening, sir," Tony says after he stands up, suddenly feeling nervous.

Gibbs stiffly nods at him before exiting through the backdoor.

Tony knows that Abby's father is still not used to him, so he does not expect much of a reply. Abby, on the other hand, feels embarrassed about the way her father has treated Tony. Instead of saying something, she looks at her mother for help.

Mrs. Gibbs nods to her in response, letting her know that she will talk to him about it. "Don't take long in saying goodbye to Tony and your little brother, honey," she tells her daughter while she hurries out of the house. She turns her attention to their babysitter for the night. "Tony. You know what to do, sweetheart," she raises her eyebrows at him.

Tony nods, refreshed with the smile on Mrs. Gibbs' face. "Yes, ma'am," he says.

Right then, Mrs. Gibbs leaves.

"Well, I have to go," Abby says, and then hugs him.

"Go get 'em, Abby," Tony speaks to her softly in her ear. Abby disengages from him, and it is then that her grin becomes evident. "Enjoy your time there."

"I will," Abby replies. "Thank you again for taking this on."

"Anything for you."

Abby kisses him lightly on the lips, pleasantly surprising Tony.

"Ew."

Both of them swivel their heads towards the direction of the small voice. Standing at the archway is Timmy, clutching a Spongebob stuffed toy. On his face is a displeased expression because of what he saw.

"Timmy, what did I tell you about making a face when you see me and Tony together?" Abby asks her little brother.

"It's not nice," Timmy responds.

"Right," Abby says. She walks over to him, and then squats down to look him in the eye. "And I'm just thanking him for taking care of you, little tyke," she adds, holding on to his tiny arms with a smile. "You need to thank him, too. After we come home."

Timmy glances at Tony, and then turns back to his sister. "I don' wanna kiss him, Abby," he loudly whispers to her.

Both Tony and Abby laugh lightly after hearing it. "You don't have to do that," Abby tells him. "I already did. _But _what you can do is be nice to him. Is that okay?"

Timmy nods, finding it a better option than the first.

"Awesome!" Abby says. "Can I get a kiss?"

Timmy nods again. He puckers up, hugs her sister on the neck, and then plants a deep kiss on his sister's cheek.

Abby giggles. She kisses him on the cheek too after he lets go, and then she stands up to leave. "Don't forget to behave, Timmy," she says to her brother. "Tony. If you need anything, just call us, alright? Or look up people on the list my mom gave you. Whichever. We'll be back at around one in the morning."

Tony runs after her when a question pops up in his head. "Abby?"

"Yeah?"

"Your brother. He doesn't have any…allergies, does he?"

Abby shakes her head. "Not really," she answers. "He's not a big fan of sprinkles, but that's just about it. Oh! But, it might also be a bad idea to give him Nutter Butters and hot chocolate. He might ask you for some, but don't give in—even if he cries."

Tony swallows because of the possibility of having to deal with a screaming and crying kid. "Why…why not?" he asks.

"He gets super hyper," Abby chuckles. "You don't want him in that mode with just the two of you alone." She pats a frozen Tony on the cheeks. "See ya, sweetie!"

"See…See you," Tony mumbles. He watches Abby join her parents in their car. The vehicle backs up, and not long after the garage door descends down to the ground noisily. He finds himself cemented at the backdoor, and if it's possible he would have stayed that way the whole night. However, when he remembers the little boy waiting for him to come back in, he obliges to the call of his task for the night.

He finds Timmy staring at him blankly. After locking the back door, he can't help but shoot a look at the clock on the microwave. 7:54 PM, approximately five hours before he's released from duty. He smiles at Timmy after decisively clapping his hands together. "So," he says rather awkwardly. "Bed time."

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_**Reviews are loved! :D**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Thanks to Chippygirl21 and a lovely guest for leaving reviews last chapter!**_

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**Chapter Two**

Timmy regards him with a frown. He looks up at the clock then back to Tony. "It's too early," he says, almost whiningly.

Tony's brows furrow slightly while an amazed smile forms on his lips. "You can tell time already?" he asks.

"No," Timmy answers.

The smile slides off Tony's face. "Then how do you know it's early?"

"'Cause Daddy says nap time is after the Phineas and Ferb movie," Timmy answers, clutching his stuffed toy closer to him.

Tony narrows his eyes slightly. Of course. The elder Gibbs is taking every opportunity he can to make his life miserable. It really shouldn't come as a surprise that the man is even using his youngest child to accomplish his goal.

Timmy walks closer to Tony, dragging his toy along, and then lifts his eyes up to him. He tugs on Tony's jacket. "'m hungry, Tony," he says, his eyes pleading.

Tony sighs, surrendering to the little boy's request, and then he nods. "What do you want to eat?" he asks. He thinks it's a question he should not have asked. He's not really gifted when it comes to making food. At his home, that job is handled by a hired cook. The only time he made something edible was last month, when their cook got sick, and there was nothing for breakfast.

He had a pretty good peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Timmy's features scrunches up as he thinks. "I want Spaghetti-O's!" he jumps up excitedly when the thought hits him.

"Okay. Spaghetti-O's," Tony mutters under his breath as he starts searching the pantry. "I can do that." He rummages through boxes of pastas and cereals, his eyes straining to find a can of the food. Deciding that the array of non-perishables in front is just obstructing his view, he draws it out one by one until he finds what he is looking for. "Uh, which one did you want, Timmy?" he asks without turning around when he sees the stack of Spaghetti-O's on the back of the cabinet. "You have original, with meatballs, or with calcium." He frowns as his final three words registers as odd to his ears.

"Meatballs!" Timmy says excitedly.

Tony smirks before he begins opening the can. _Kids,_ he thought. _Everything is a wonder to them._ He haphazardly transfers the contents to small bowl before sliding it inside the microwave. Then, he closes it.

"You're s'ppose to put paper towel over 't."

Tony swivels towards the young boy, his slightly arched brows daring him to repeat what he has said.

Timmy overlooks the defensive reaction. "Daddy said," he adds.

Tony fights the urge to narrow his eyes at the child left at his charge. Instead, he does what he is told and resumes "cooking." It's not the boy's fault that he gets nitpicky, especially with him. He'll just chalk it up as the older Gibbs' second strike.

Timmy scratches the back of his neck as he waits impatiently. "Tony, can I watch TV?" he asks.

Tony shrugs. "Sure," he says, punching in the time then Start. "I'll just bring you your food when it's done."

"Thank you," Timmy says in response. He then runs out of the room, with the toy's arms and legs sweeping the floor. Shortly after, he hears the static electricity bolt the television to life, and then the theme song to the show plays. Timmy sings along. _"Or fighting Mommy, 'r climbing falafel Tower…Exist…Or giving the monkey a shower!"_

Tony shakes his head, laughing a little as he crosses his arms then leans on the counter while waiting for the food to be done. So far, he finds that things are not as difficult as he thought they would be. For one, Timmy seems pretty content with the program he's watching, his buddy, Spongebob, and the dinner that he'll serve him in about thirty-seven seconds. He has not been whiny or petulant, which is nice.

The grumbling of the clotted dark clouds outside catches his attention. He takes a peek outside the small window, and then resumes on his wait. He really wants to do this favor for Abby, he really does. Still, he cannot help himself from thinking whether Mrs. Gibbs will grace him with some payment for his service. He has been eyeing a newly-released pair Air Jordans, and he's just a few bucks short.

The microwave beeps a few times. He pulls the door open, takes the bowl of Timmy's dinner out, closes it, and then proceeds to the living room where the little boy is heavily engrossed with the cartoon. "Here you are, Timmy boy," he says, holding the dinnerware out with a grin. "Now what do you want to—" He suddenly loses his balance as he trips on an astray Porsche toy car. His reflexes that he developed from playing sports kicks in, however, and the only damage that is sustained is a little food spill on the white carpet.

Tony looks up at Timmy with a mixture of surprised and terrified expression on his face. Timmy appears as horrified as he is. "Tim!" Tony exclaims.

"'m sorry, 'm sorry!"

Tony sighs. He places the bowl on the coffee table slightly irritably, and then he gets a moist paper towel from the kitchen. He kneels down next to the stain on the carpet when he comes back then begins feverishly scrubbing it off. The tomato sauce colors the floor covering pink, and bits of pasta begins stubbornly sticking on it.

Well, there goes his easy way to his dream shoes. Plus, Mrs. Gibbs will more than likely require him to pay for the cleaning. Or, if not, he will feel obligated to.

"'m sorry," Timmy mumbles on his shirt since his chin is buried in it. Tony responds by huffing gently, a sign that he is still upset but reluctantly forgiving nonetheless. Timmy lifts up his head towards him and is saddened by the silence between them. He concocts a plan to put a smile on the older boy's lips. He sits up straight gleefully, and then holds out a finger. "Pull my finger, Tony," he says.

Tony glances at him then goes back to scrubbing the carpet. The blemish only worsens. Tony groans. "Great," he mutters through gritted teeth. "Now your mother will also have a reason to kill me."

"Tony!" Timmy whines, bouncing on his seat impatiently. "Pull my finger!"

"Timmy," Tony attempts to maintain his calm while he faces the child, "you have to understand what's happening here. I have to clean this up before your family comes back. Your mom is the only parent between the two of them who likes me, and I'm not—"

"Just pull my finger!" Timmy says impatiently.

With a groan, he gives into the command, neglecting to remember what usually resulted from the trick. When he does, the little boy let out a burp that could have chipped off the walls. "Nice," Tony comments sarcastically. "It comes out the other end this time."

The little boy is thrown into a fit of laughter, while his intended audience ignores the act.

Tony stands up. "I'll be back," he says to no one in particular. He exits the room where delighted chuckles bounce off the walls. When he reaches the kitchen, he draws out his phone to call his house, hoping that Angelita can help him with the carpet problem.

A soft thunder disturbs the night sky once more and like the first, it does not fail to catch Tony's attention. From the stillness of the heavy clouds, he can tell that it will not take long before it rains. He takes a glimpse of Timmy. The little boy is still laughing.

Well, at least one of them is happy with how things are turning out.

It is then he feels a chill skyrocket through his spine, causing him to stand straighter. He does not know whether it is just exhaustion dawning upon him that makes him think this way, but he has a hunch that somebody is watching them. The shadows around the streetlight now pass elusively, and the strong west wind the blows against the house seem to bring with it a danger that's inevitable.

"Hello?" a woman with a mild accent answers on the other line. "This is the DiNozzo's residence."

"Hey, Angelita," Tony speaks, hesitantly tearing his eyes off the window. "Listen. I need to ask you a question. How do you remove tomato sauce stains from a carpet?" He listens intently as she explains. When she finishes, he smiles. "Thank you, Angelita. I appreciate it."

"No problem, señorito."

Tony hangs up, content. He heads to the cabinet stationed beside the cabinet to get the bottle of vinegar he spotted earlier. In his search, he does not even realize that outside the window stands a figure, its wide eyes scrutinizing the insides of the house with intent of breaking in.

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_**Reviews are loved!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to Megth, AussieTayla,ThetrueAmeliaP, DS2010, and a lovely guest for leaving reviews!**

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**Chapter Three**

Tony shifts slightly to get a better view of the television. The movie's just getting to the good part, and he does not want to miss any part of it. The man has just walked into the house where his 'mother' lives, and he's sure that the girl who has just stepped into the bath tub will be die. Observing each scene intently, he takes note of how the house lies in silence now that he's the only person awake. Outstretched on the couch, watching a classic horror film while the nightly world outside is showered upon, he's almost tempted to sleep.

Almost.

Timmy has only been asleep for an hour. He took the little boy to his room after he found him slumbering on the couch, Spongebob constricted with his left arm, and Spaghetti-O-crusted spoon held firmly with his right hand. He pleaded him to keep the lights on but after a few minutes, he was deeply unconscious enough not to mind his babysitter turning it off.

Deciding—and hoping—that Timmy would stay that way until tomorrow, Tony took out the "Psycho" DVD from his bag then put it in.

Despite his slightly languid state, he thinks that sleeping on the job might not be a good idea. He's sure it's not going to be pleasant both for him and the rest of the Gibbs' family when they find him off-guard. The elder Gibbs will just have more reason to dislike him, while his wife will be lesser pleased with him, especially considering the faintly pink stain on her white carpet. He doesn't want to embarrass Abby, above all.

So, he tunes in closer to what he's watching, hoping that that will be enough to keep him awake. Someone has just walked into the girl's room. _Called it, _he thinks smugly. Although he already anticipated it, a cold sensation still snakes up his skin as he sees the 'mother' watch the guest. He has seen the film twice before, but every time he gets to that part where the murderer watches the victim, he gets goosebumps.

He guesses that it's tenfold magnified now that he, for some reason, feels that he's also being watched.

He has been feeling anxious after he finished talking to Angelita on the phone. At first, he took it as a result of the elder Gibbs' constant 'I'm watching you' warning to him. He even suspected that he might have placed some kind of camera somewhere in the house to make sure that the teenage boy is doing his job. But then, he found it silly and decided to shake it off.

Not an hour later, he felt alarmed again, and that lasts until this moment. He has reasoned that it's just the storm and the pending danger of losing power, but he knows that those explanations are not sufficient to pacify his nervousness. It's as if the owner of those eyes is breathing down his neck.

The girl in the movie turns on the shower, unknowing of the danger that lurks on the other side of the curtain.

Tony shuffles to get a better view, at the same time attempting to rid of his wariness.

The murderer then rashly parts the shower curtain open, and then raises his weapon. The girl turns around in surprise, and then—

A high-pitched scream behind the couch strikes Tony's ears. Startled, he barrels around, miscalculating the difference between the furniture and the air, and then falls down on the ground. He stands up immediately to confront whoever stands there, but he only finds Timmy reduced to tears and shaking. He quickly grabs the remote from the table, pause the movie, and then come towards the scared boy. "What in the—Timmy, what are you doing? Why are you up?" he asks him, slightly annoyed.

Timmy responds by sobbing, rubbing his drenched eyes with his small, balled fists.

Tony sighs, letting go of his irritation. He should've known better than to watch a horror film with a four year-old around. He kneels in front of him in hopes of calming him down. "Hey, buddy," he speaks softer. "You got scared?"

Timmy nods, his lips bent into a frown.

"It's okay. Don't cry," Tony says before pulling the boy in an embrace. "It's just a movie."

"But…but she's dead," the four year-old responds, his voice muffled by Tony's shirt.

"I know, I know," Tony says. He separates from him, his hands fastened on his small shoulders nonetheless, and then looks him in the eyes with a smile. "But she's not really dead in real life," he continues.

"She's not?"

"No," Tony shakes his head. "She's paid to do that." Timmy sniffs, his crying completely stopped. "And the bad guy is paid to play the bad guy, too."

"Okay," Timmy mutters.

Tony wipes away a tear that rolls down Timmy's cheek. As he does, he realizes that it's not the only thing that is on his face. Brushing away the bread crumbs dotting around his mouth, he asks, "What are you eating?"

"Nutter Butter," Timmy answers.

Tony's jaws clenches momentarily before he begins again. "Where'd you get it?" he inquires further with a feigned smile.

"From Daddy," Timmy replies abashedly.

"Of course he did." Tony makes a face as he stands up. _Great. A hyper kid is just what I need, _he thinks. He turns the DVD player off then plops back down to the couch after changing the TV back to cable. Timmy picks up the package of food that he dropped earlier, and then he sits beside Tony. "Your geezer of a father's making sure he makes my life miserable," Tony mumbles through gritted teeth.

Timmy ponders about a word from Tony's comment. "Tony?" he speaks after giving up. "What's 'geezer' mean?"

Tony's eyes widen when the question registers to him. "Uh," he stalls, "it means…it means super. Yes! Super. Your Dad's just fantastic, really. He's…he's great."

Timmy buys the lie and believes it. "Daddy _is _super," he agrees, taking out another Nutter Butter from the container.

Tony breathes in relief. Hopefully, that's the last time the little boy will use, and ask about, that word.

The rain outside knocks heavily on the roof above, while the wind howls against the windows. A 'severe thunderstorm' warning flashes at the screen, disrupting the program. Tony thinks that it will probably pass after a while, and they will be unaffected. It's just momentary, like that brooding sensation of being observed that's creeping back to him.

"I wanna watch Spongebob," Timmy says.

"Tim, it's 11:30," Tony points out. "I don't think they're playing Spongebob anymore."

"But I wan' cartoons!"

Tony rolls his eyes. Sugar rush is settling in. "What do you say we watch something else?" he turns towards him. "I have 'Up' in my bag. You wanna watch that?"

"No! 've already seen it! I want Spongebob!"

"Timmy, calm down," Tony says firmly.

Timmy crosses his arms petulantly. His lips protrude to a pout.

"It's late at night, and there's no channel that's playing anything for kids anymore," Tony explains patiently. He pulls his backpack to him, and then he draws out a DVD. "All we have is this," he adds. "We can watch it."

Timmy appears offended by the lack of choice given to him.

Tony takes the remote once again, and then clicks the video button. "Now it doesn't really—" A loud boom of thunder outside cut him in midsentence. He stands up alertly, while Timmy looks up at the ceiling nervously. Before any of them can comment on it, the lights go off.

Timmy gasps, and then he screams.

"What in the…" Tony mumbles as he scans the darkness.

"Tony…"

"Stay put, Timmy," Tony orders him. He walks towards the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" Timmy asks, afraid. He cautiously follows the older boy.

"I'm looking for flashlights," Tony responds as he begins searching below the sink. After straining his eyes to make out the silhouette of every object inside the cabinet, he finds it. He switches one on, and the brightness it gives brings them comfort. "Now we're solved," he says to the boy, smirking triumphantly.

As he happens to look out the window, he notices that the back porch light of the neighbor's house is still on. Investigating further, he sees that on their block, they are the only ones who do not have any electricity. "Guess I have to call the electrician then," he says nonchalantly, though the situation is making him nervous. He takes the phone from the receiver, putting an extreme effort to calm himself down, and then consults the sheet of paper handed to him by Timmy's mother.

They then hear a soft rustle from outside.

"Tony, I'm scared," Timmy says, breathing shallowly.

Tony shakes his head. "It's just the wind, buddy," he tells him. "It's okay." He, however, does not believe his own statement. He dials the number, and then busies his mind with the monotonous rings instead.

_Boom! _Lightning flashes outside as it follows the thunder. However, Tony is almost absolute that the loud sound also resulted from a door being kicked open. Forgetting about the phone on his hands, he turns to the little boy shaking feverishly in fear behind him. "Timmy, I need you to listen to me," he instructs him, acknowledging that there will be other people in the house with them shortly. "Go up to your room, and lock the doors. Do not go out until I tell you. Understand?"

"But Tony…"

"No but's," Tony says. "And I want you to hide where nobody can find you. Is that clear?"

Timmy nods hesitantly.

"Here. Take the flashlight and go," Tony hands him the object, and then gently pushes the boy away.

The violent attempt of breaking in through the front door has ceased, and he guesses that they will try to get in through the backdoor next. He carefully walks out of the kitchen to the living room. _"Hey! This is Alan. Sorry if I cannot come to the phone right now…"_ the electrician's answering machine startles him a bit. Before he can turn the phone off, he notices that the floor leading to the front door is lighted. It has the same yellow one from the flashlight he handed Timmy earlier. "Timmy?" he calls to the boy vigilantly while drawing closer.

"…_but if you leave me a detailed message, I'll get back to you as soon as possible!"_

"Hey," he calls again, his heart now hammering madly inside his chest.

A muffled scream catches his attention. An "Ow!" follows suit. "Tony!" Timmy shouts. "They're behind you!"

Tony half turns. A silhouette detaches from the shadows on the walls. From what he can make out, the person is almost as tall as he is, and his built is slightly the same. He steps back.

"Hello, Tony," says the boy, his hoarse voice familiar. "Jeanne sends you her best regards."

Tony frowns. Before he can make a move, another person standing behind gagged him with rag soaked with chloroform. He tries to struggle out of his grasp, but the boy's grip is strong.

"No!" he faintly hears Timmy shouting. "Tony! Let 'im go!"

"Shut up, you little brat!"

"To—"

As Tony falls down on the floor, his mind ebbing out of consciousness, he worries about the little boy left in his care. He does not mind being hurt, as long as Timmy's safe. He doesn't need to give the elder Gibbs another reason to think he's irresponsible, make Mrs. Gibbs doubt his ability to take care of another person, and see Abby sad if something was to happen to her little brother.

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	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you to Meilea2010, AussieTayla, susan, HaRRy-POttEr-OBseSseD-2011-O.o, Gottahavemyncis, DS2010, JJxWillXProtectXYou, and three guests for taking the time to leave a review! **

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**Chapter Four**

"No. Jeanne told us to

scare _Abby. _Not _to hold them hostage!"_

Tony slowly awakens, but the languor that inhibited his body prevents him from moving much. All he can do is listen to the blurred voices.

"Oh, this is all messed up."

"Shut up, Ray! If we want to carry this gig out, you have to stop worrying too much."

"Stop worrying? Oliver. We didn't get Abby, we got Tony! And her little brother! Do you know how much trouble we'll get ourselves in if people found out that we broke in here and held them down here in the basement? We'll be tried as adults! Not only that, we're—"

"Quiet! Both of you, just…just shut up!"

Everything becomes silent, save for the sobbing from the little child tied behind him. Timmy. Tony's mouth automatically opens to comfort him, but his voice does not come out. His tongue is also frozen with a certain taste, and it reminds him of what happened earlier. He anchors his lips together. Chloroform. It's probably what they had in that cloth they gagged him with.

"It's noisy enough with that kid crying. I don't need both of you pansies to add to it."

Pause. _"And, we're not going to get in trouble."_

"How can you say that, Hutch? We're down to an hour before Abby and her parents come back here."

"So?"

"So—her dad is a sniper. I'm pretty sure that when he sees his son hurt, he won't hesitate to kill all three of us. And her mom would only be so happy to make sure she justifies the murder he'll commit in court."

Tony cannot help himself from chuckling slightly. He finds afterwards that it was not a good idea, but it is already too late. He has already caught their captors' attentions.

With the little light coming in, he sees Hutch come closer to him. "You find that funny, Tony?" he asks vindictively.

Tony lifts up his head, grinning. "Yeah," he answers.

Hutch swings his clenched fist forcefully to Tony's face. He hears his hostage's jaw crack. He smirks.

"Tony!" Timmy shouts worriedly behind him.

"Keep quiet!" Ray tells him.

"I've always wanted to do that," Hutch adds as he stretches his fingers victoriously.

Tony adjusts his jaws, despite the agonizing pain that shoots through his body. He wants to lay a hand on where he was struck, but his hands are bound behind the chair he sits on. "Of course, you did," he says, his grin unfaltering. "But the only reason why you could do that is because I'm tied down."

"So what are you trying to say?"

Tony knows better than to aggravate him more. "You look much more…_emasculated_ than last Friday in Physics when you were crowned Geek of the Week," he says, the words unintentionally spilling out of his mouth.

Those anger the boy more. He pins Tony back with his left forearm and uses his right hand to press the Swiss army knife he is holding below his neck. "Say that again," he says, mockingly tilting his head towards him. "I didn't hear it."

Tony says nothing.

"Don' hurt him!" Timmy yells.

"How many times should I tell you to stop talking?" Ray strides to Timmy, and then brashly covers his mouth with his hands. Timmy begins crying again, restricting the sobs under his closed lips.

Tony turns his head slightly in hopes to console the terrified child. The blade grazes his neck lightly, but he ignores the pain it brings. "It's okay, Timmy," he tells the little boy. "I can handle it."

"Oh, really?" Hutch asks, his mouth twisted in a devious grin. He deepens his forearms into Tony's chest, restricting his breathing. "Let's see if you really can." He draws back the weapon in his hands, intent on fulfilling its malicious purpose.

Tony struggles to muffle his gasp.

"Wait!"

Hutch swivels his head towards Oliver. "What?" he asks, annoyed.

"Don't get rid of him just yet," Oliver says pensively. He steps closer. "We can still use him to get out of this."

Hutch lets go of Tony. The latter sighs in relief when he does. "Well, are you going to tell me, genius?" Hutch inquires snidely. "Huh? Why don't you enlighten me."

"Easy on the rage, Hutch. It'll get you nowhere."

The boy says nothing.

"We can clean this mess up with him," Oliver nods towards Tony. "If we take some things, take both of them, and dump them somewhere far, the blame will fall on him. They'll think he robbed them, and because this brat saw what happened, he got rid of him while he's running away." The suggestion elicits nods and smiles from the others. "Not only do we solve these problems, but we also get a few bucks for ourselves."

Ray frowns. "But what about Jeanne? She'll know we have something to do with this," he says.

Oliver shrugs. "We can always scare her out of it," he says confidently. "After all, she was the one who paid us to be here."

The three of them exchange glances and wily smiles. Timmy only stares at one particular corner, silent. Tony notices his alarming behavior then quickly concocts a viable way to get Timmy and him out of danger.

Hutch folds in the knife, and then he pockets it. "Well, come on, then," he says after checking his watch. "It's five minutes past midnight, and I don't wanna push it."

After a final look at their captives, the three boys leave. "Don't even get any ideas, pretty boy," Ray says as he passes by. The floorboards above them squeak as pairs of feet tread around. Soon after, everything stills.

Tony releases the breath he has been holding. "How are you doing, Timmy?" he asks quietly.

"Okay," Timmy answers.

"Look. Don't worry," Tony says while listening keenly to the movement upstairs. "I'll get us out of here." He scans the room they are in, assessing the likelihood of an easy escape.

"Tony?"

"Hmm?"

"Are they also paid to be bad guys, too?"

Tony opens his mouth to ask what he meant, but he then remembers the comment he made earlier after the murder scene in 'Psycho'. He nods. "It seems that way," he admits disappointedly, especially when he thinks of the girl who caused their demise to happen. "But unlike in the movie, when they hurt us, we will really be hurt. There's no special effects." He hears a soft sob behind him, and he immediately regrets that the boy has to experience the trouble that his bad break-up with Jeanne caused. "So you have to be brave," he adds. "We just have to get out and make it to your neighbor's house. Okay?"

Timmy nods.

"Alright." Tony looks around. "All we have to do is get ourselves untied. Everything will be easier then. Hopefully." He removes the shoes then his socks to use his feet to feel for any sharp material. Abby has told him once or twice about her father's hobby of woodworking. If they're fortunate enough, perhaps he would find some shard of blade or saw edge.

He stretches out his right foot to search further, and it is then he feels the corner of a relatively sharp object. _Bingo, _he thinks triumphantly. He slides further on his chair to give his feet more reaching distance. Carefully, he drags the object—a scraper, he decides later on—close enough to lift it up to him. He uses his toes to pick it up efficiently, but not a few inches up, he loses grip.

"Dummy," Timmy mutters.

"Don't call me dummy!" Tony hisses. He tries again. "Do you know how hard it is to get this with sweaty feet?"

"No," Timmy says. He looks at the corner he was staring at earlier. "The Dummy. The little elevator."

Tony frowns. "Little elevator?" he repeats. After the scraper is fastened between his toes, he bends his foot back so he can reach it. He strains his torso to bend, to give his—their—tied hands more access. One swift grab, and he has it. He thinks about what Timmy says as he severs the duct tape off them. "You mean a dumbwaiter."

"Yes," Timmy responds.

Within seconds, they are both free. Tony slides the scraper in his pocket, and then lifts up the rope that weakly binds the two of them together. He gets off the chair. "How large is it?" he asks after untangling Timmy.

"It can fit us both," Timmy responds.

A slight creak from the floor above makes them both look up. "Can it carry us both?" he inquires hurriedly.

"Abby and I have been on it," Timmy answers.

Tony nods. He lifts Timmy from the floor. "Heavier than Abby, but it can manage," he mumbles. "Where is it?" He follows where Timmy points to next. They really do not have much time left, he concludes. Hutch and his little troop most likely will be back down in a minute or so, and they have to avail themselves of that time to escape with the lowest chance of getting caught as possible.

He lifts up door to the dumbwaiter as discreetly as possible. "Alright, buddy. Hop in," he boosts Timmy in. He crawls in next.

After Tony closes the door, Timmy hands him a rope. "Pull," he whispers.

"Okay," Tony mutters under his breath. He begins pulling, discovering at first tug that it is harder than he expected.

Seven strenuous heaves later, they reach their destination.

Tony sighs joyfully. He does not hear any movement outside. _Good. They're still upstairs. _"Timmy," he turns to him. "Whatever happens, stick to me, okay?"

Timmy nods, feeling terrified again.

Their hope for freedom immediately disintegrates when the dumbwaiter's door opens swiftly, and blinding lights pierce their eyes. Tony uses his forearm as a shield, at the same time automatically moving slightly in front of Timmy.

"Going somewhere, DiNozzo?" Ray asks, his lips carved into a smirk.

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	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks to DS2010, Gottahavemyncis, Meilea2010, jokergirl94, angeleyes46, Megth, AussieTayla, and two lovely guests for leaving reviews last chapter! Thanks to all who followed, favorited, and read the story, too!**

**If you liked this 'Verse, please feel free to check my Author's page. This was the third in the series - I forgot to post the first two. :P **

**Anyways, feel free to leave reviews afterwards, too! They're very much appreciated!**

**Last chapter of "Versus"!**

* * *

**Chapter Five**

All of them stop before they exit the door. Tony is very tempted to fight the three off so he and Timmy can get away, but the fact that Hutch is grasping the back of his jacket and pressing a knife on his side, Ray's hands are fastened on his shoulder and arm, and Ray is holding the little boy tightly, the appeal of the idea diminishes into a wishful thought. If only there is something he can do.

"Here's the deal," Hutch tells both of them. "You scream, he dies," he says to Timmy, pointing the knife from him to Tony. Then, he turns to the older boy. "You make any noise," he threatens him, "the kid gets iced. Understand?"

Both of them nod, Tony begrudgingly so.

"Good. Now, walk as quickly as you can to the truck."

A cool breeze blows against them when Hutch opens the door. The moment they are pushed outside, Tony feels the refreshing raindrops gently collide with his face. He lifts his eyes and finds a white Dodge Caravan parked a few steps ahead. He knows that once they step inside, it will be the end of both of them. Glancing behind, he sees sadness streaking Timmy's face.

He clenches his jaws. Timmy has nothing to do with any of this. He's just four. He does not deserve to face death at his young age. He's supposed to enjoy his cartoons for a few more years, play video games later, then get his driver's license, meet a beautiful girl, get married someday, and experience having children that are as assertive as he is. He's not supposed to suffer.

He looks around, hoping that a neighbor is peaking at the world outside. None. Although, in the shadows of tall trees lining the side of the Gibbs' house, he sees a familiar object that catches his attention. However, he quickly dismisses it simply as a mirage.

By the time the two captives are told to halt at the back of the van, all of them are drenched.

"Start the van, Ray," Hutch commands after unlocking the doors in the back, tossing the keys to the other boy. "Oliver will catch up with you after we stuff these guys in the back."

Ray obeys the order, and then immediately leaves. Oliver, meanwhile, takes over in holding the youngest captive.

Hutch regards the two with interest. "Nothing you expected from a geek, huh?" he asks Tony.

Tony disregards his mocking but turns his attention to Timmy instead. He smiles to him. "Timmy?" he says, soft enough to reach only the ears of the three people around him. Timmy lifts his head up to him, a pout formed on his lips. "You've been really brave. I'm proud of you," he adds, aiming to console the boy this one last time. Timmy smiles slightly.

Oliver scoffs. "Very touching, Tony," he mocks. "Now move it."

When Hutch and Oliver open the door, however, they are surprised by the number of guns pointed at them by the police. "Back away from the boys, and no one will be hurt," the policeman in the middle orders. Glimpsing to the front of the car, they see Ray holding his hands up, a policeman pointing a weapon at him.

Still in disbelief, Tony and Timmy say nothing.

Oliver understands his defeat. He drops his weapon then steps away from Timmy. Hutch hesitantly takes a half pace back, but surrendering does not seem to him as a good option. So, he seizes Timmy from the ground, eliciting a scream from him, and then holds his knife against the boy. With everyone's attention on him, he snickers. Tony's fist clenches tightly. If he dare hurt Timmy, he'd retaliate himself. "You take me, this boy's going to get hurt," he hisses.

"I don't think that's the brightest thing to do, kid."

Hutch turns around challengingly to whoever spoke, equipped with more full threats of harm. But, those die in his throat when he sees Gibbs standing only several feet away from him drawing a red dot in the center of his head.

"Why don't you let my son go and we call it a night?" Gibbs smiles, his focus on the boy unfaltering.

Left with only his life as a choice, Hutch puts Timmy down on the ground. He tosses his knife to the ground next, and then puts his hands behind his head. Gibbs, concluding that the three boys present no more danger, lowers his gun. With the situation controlled, the policemen completes the arrests.

"Daddy!" Timmy says delightfully. He runs to his father's open arms, excited to see him. Tony moves away from the van, smiling as he watches the two embrace. Timmy chuckles as he buries his face on Gibbs' shirt.

"How are you feeling, buddy?" Gibbs asks his son with much concern. "Are you hurt? Did they do something to you?"

"Timmy!" The three of them swivel their head to the source of the call and spots Mrs. Gibbs running towards them. Right behind her is Abby.

"Hi, Mommy."

"Oh my baby," Mrs. Gibbs anxiously takes the boy from her husband then hugs him tightly. Then, she caresses his small face, scanning it for any bruises. "Oh, I'm so sorry, darling. Does something hurt? Huh? Tell Mommy. We'll take you to the hospital, right after I kick those boys'—"

"Mom," Abby warns, halting her mother from saying something inappropriate.

"I'm okay, Mommy," Timmy says, beaming at them. He glances at Tony. "But Tony's hurt because of me."

The rest of the family looks at him. Tony suddenly feels uncomfortable. "No," he waves his hands in front of him, laughing nervously. "No, it's…Really, I'm-I'm okay."

An ambulance turns from the corner, heading their way.

Abby's brows knit while she walk towards Tony. "Okay?" she asks almost in a panic. "Tony, your neck is bleeding! And you're going to tell me you're okay?"

Tony shrugs. Truthfully, it hasn't been hurting until she mentioned it to him. "Well, you know," he says nonchalantly. "It…it happens."

Abby is taken aback. "_It happens?_ A bleeding neck?" she repeats slightly hysterically. "Tony-"

"Abby," Gibbs calls his daughter before she loses self-control to worry. Abby turns towards him. "DiNozzo's been through a lot tonight," he adds, with a curve of the lips that Tony thinks is a smile of approval. "He deserves to be let off the hook for the meantime, don't you think?"

Abby sighs. "Okay," she agrees, looking back to Tony with a smile.

Tony reciprocates it with a grin. The happiness on her face, although only a smidgen, wakes him slightly from the trance the danger their unwelcome visitors took him in an eternity ago. A question that immediately pops up in his head caused him to look at his watch. 12:15 AM. "Wait. I thought you won't be home until 1 AM?" he asks.

"We left the competition early," Abby answers. "We had to make sure that you two wouldn't be hurt when the policemen catch those lunatics."

Tony frowns. "How'd you know?"

"Alan called."

"Alan the electrician?"

Abby and Mrs. Gibbs nod. "He said he listened to the voicemail you left when you called him," Mrs. Gibbs explains. Slowly, Tony remembers making the phone call. "He called us, said he was pretty sure he heard Timmy screaming while you and those boys are scuffling."

"Dad and Mom wouldn't tell me why," Abby chimes in, "but I know something really bad is happening. Mom has her worry face on, and Dad has his sniper face on." Tony chuckles. "I told Kate and Paula that they'd have to finish without me, and…here I am."

"I'm glad you came," Tony says. He looks to Gibbs. "Thank you for coming, sir."

The elder Gibbs shakes his head. "No," he corrects him. "Thank _you_ for protecting my son the best way you can. I owe you a lot."

Tony smiles contentedly. He recalls everything that he and Timmy had been through that night and honestly, he doesn't find it fitting that they are deeming him a hero. It is his responsibility to take care of Timmy, no matter what. He was also thinking of the money he can, or was hoping to get, from the job. Plus, he is mainly doing it for Abby and to earn approval from her parents.

Well, maybe he _did_ protect the little boy because he cares about him, too. Perhaps he _is_ a hero.

"Sir?" a medic standing behind him disturbed his thinking. "We need to take a look at you."

"Oh" is the only thing he managed to utter.

"Me, too?" Timmy asks.

The medic smiles. "Yes," he answers. "Especially you, little fella."

Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs follow the medic to the back of the ambulance. Mrs. Gibbs stops momentarily then kisses Tony lightly on the cheeks. Tony's smile widens, acknowledging the mother's thank you. Gibbs only nods at him, but Tony knows he's grateful, too.

"Thank you, Tony," Timmy shouts to him happily, lying his head on his mother's shoulder.

"No problem, buddy," Tony says, genuinely satisfied that the little boy is now safe.

"Hey," Abby nudges him.

"Hmm?"

Abby tiptoes to give him a kiss on the lips.

Tony is surprised then enamored then scared by her action. "Abby!" he protests silently. "Your parents are here."

When both of them check the couple, they find them chatting with their youngest kid as he comments on the rescue. "I don't hear them complaining," Abby points out.

A greedy grin slowly forms on his lips. "Well, in that case," he says, and then prepares to kiss Abby again.

"Don't push it to the limit, DiNozzo," Gibbs says loudly, halting both of them. His warning repels them back to how they were formally. "I can only turn blind once."

Abby sighs, rolling her eyes, while Tony purses his lips.

"Anyway," they hear Timmy continue his own version of what happened, "it was cool! They opened the door, and we…"

"You know? Tony?" Abby resumes speaking again.

"Yeah?"

"I really am thankful that you stuck with Timmy. And you protected him," Abby says. Then, she encases Tony in a warm embrace.

Tony thinks of things to say, but he comes up with none. Honestly, he just wants to enjoy this moment, where he and Abby are close together under the rain, and the rest of her family are pleased with him.

"You were awesome, Daddy," Timmy continues enthusiastically.

"Thanks, Timmy," Gibbs replies, relieved by knowing that his son is relatively unharmed.

"Daddy, you're a geezer!"

Tony's eyes widen open. Abby frowns, her mouth slightly agape. Immediately, they snap out of their embrace.

Mrs. Gibbs' jaws drop. Beside her, Gibbs remains speechless. "Timothy!" she chastises the boy.

"What?" Timmy asks, alarmed by the effects of his innocent words to everyone.

"Timmy!" Abby walks to him. "Why would you call Dad that?"

"Because he is," Timmy defends himself.

"Do you even know what that means?" Abby asks.

_It means…it means superhero. Yes! Super. Your Dad's just fantastic, really._ Tony wants to run away then, but his feet are cemented to the ground by too much embarrassment.

"Superhero," Timmy replies. "That's what Tony said."

When Abby and her family look at him again, he feels uncomfortable once more. This time, however, it is the horrible kind of uncomfortable. He sighs. _Well, the babysitting was good while it lasted,_ he resigns inwardly.

* * *

**END.**


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